We have installed tongue-and-groove pine on the vaulted ceilings throughout our home. Obstacles. When should a wooden (cedar) ceiling be stained, before or after installation? Think about it: (1) You're usually working over your head. This should be done before installing though, as it is difficult once the pieces are in place. Installing tongue and groove walls can be a real workout. Before you begin the installation process you will need to measure the length and width of your ceiling. It looks beautiful when paired with the dark brown exposed beams, which has the same look like the floor and door frame. For this project, we partnered with our friends at CedarSafe and used their tongue and groove cedar planks to create our ceiling.. We started out by measuring our space and calculating how many boxes of planks we would need using their calculator.. After receiving our planks, we let them acclimate in the … Use a scrap piece of wood with a groove cut it in that fits over the tongue (or a scrap piece of ceiling material) and fit that over the board before tapping gently with a hammer. Once primer has dried, repeat process with paint. I know this is going to sound stupid, but we are installing a tongue & groove cedar planks ceiling on an exterior porch and my husband says we stain each plank first, then we install them in the ceiling. We installed it in March, and it was too cold to pre-stain. (3) Tongue and groove isn't always flat, so you have to force the boards together to get them seated. (2) You have to seat the tongues and grooves together, and they don't always want to marry. The Tongue and groove ceiling on this porch is from a clear poplar material. Another great thing about adding a wood tongue and groove ceiling is that you can stain in any color. ... we have recently gel stained our living room tongue and groove ceiling and now would like to up light it. any suggestions on the type of light we should be looking for? I am wondering what is the best way to apply clear Varathane to the ceiling. The ceiling consist of a 4 inch poured light weight concrete slab on 3/4 plywood on double 2 X 12 wood joist again covered with another 3/4 plywood at the bottom. In sharp contrast, pine wood tongue-and-groove paneling offers a tantalizing drywall alternative: a gorgeous natural-wood ceiling with an installation process that is far easier than drywall.But before you rush to your local home center or a lumberyard for materials, consider some of the main advantages and pitfalls of both ceiling materials. Otherwise, the unstained portions of the tongue will eventually become exposed, creating lines of bare wood that will detract from its appearance. Do not bang on the tongue of a board to get it to fit better. Stain or Paint Tongue and Groove Ceiling. 8.) Furthermore, do you stain tongue and groove before or after installation? Tip: Stain and polyurethane may be applied instead of paint for a different look. That is why it is critical that you stain the wood of a tongue-and-groove ceiling before it is installed. I am getting ready to do the ceiling in tongue and groove 1 X 6cypress planks on a 450 Sq Ft covered patio in South Florida. How to install a tongue & groove cedar plank ceiling. Two other elements support the masculine look in this rustic porch design. Drips in the groove or off the tongue will interfere with how they fit together, so wipe away any drips with a paint brush and apply primer in a thin coat.